Peach season in New Jersey is short and sweet, and right now is the moment to grab a bag and head to the orchard. The Garden State grows some of the juiciest peaches around, and picking them straight off the tree beats anything you will find in a store.
From family farms in the north to sprawling orchards down south, these seven spots let you wander the rows and fill your own bag. Bring the kids, wear comfy shoes, and get ready to come home with more peaches than you planned.
Here are seven orchards worth the drive this summer.
1. Battleview Orchards, Freehold, NJ
Set on a family farm in Monmouth County, this Freehold favorite pairs its pick-your-own rows with a country store that keeps people coming back all season long.
Beyond peaches, the farm grows apples, nectarines, and strawberries, so the picking calendar stays busy from spring into fall. The store is known for pies, cider donuts, and seasonal apple cider, which makes it easy to turn a quick fruit run into a full outing.
The peaches here get plenty of praise for being fresh, sweet, and priced fairly. The staff are friendly, and the acreage is clean and easy to walk.
You will find it at 91 Wemrock Rd. The farm is open most days from 9 AM to 6 PM, though it closes on Tuesdays, so plan around that. Weekday mornings are the quietest if you would rather skip the crowds.
2. Alstede Farms, Chester, NJ
If you want room to roam, this Chester farm delivers with miles of orchards stretching across the property.
The peach orchard is a highlight, with trees loaded with ripe fruit during the season. You can also pick blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, apples, tomatoes, peppers, and more, so the harvest changes as summer rolls on.
White peaches show up too, and they run sweeter than the standard yellow variety.
Tractor rides carry visitors out to the fields, which makes reaching the far rows part of the fun for families. Baked goods and ice cream round out the day back near the market.
The farm sits at 1 Alstede Farms Ln and is open daily from 9 AM to 6 PM. Parking is free and on-site, so you can pull in without hunting for a spot.
With this much variety, it is an easy place to spend a couple of hours.
3. Melick’s Town Farm – Califon Orchards, Califon, NJ
Only open from July into November, this seasonal Califon orchard is built for the exact stretch when peaches are at their best.
Pick-your-own here covers peaches, apples, Asian pears, and pumpkins, so the season carries you from summer straight into fall. A farm store stocks fresh sweet corn, tomatoes, and other homegrown produce, plus cider donuts, pies, and other bakery treats.
The entry fee runs low, and it has included extras like hay rides. A corn maze and rows of sunflowers give you reasons to linger after your bag is full, and heirloom tomato samples have been part of the fun too.
Find it at 472 County Rd 513. The orchard is closed Monday and Tuesday, opens Wednesday from 2 to 6 PM, and runs Thursday through Sunday from 9 AM to 6 PM.
There is also a CSA subscription with Wednesday pickups if you want a weekly haul.
4. Wightman Farms, Morristown, NJ
Farming in Morristown since 1922, this longtime operation runs a year-round farm market and cider mill alongside its pick-your-own fields.
Peaches and apples run about $3 a pound, and a reusable souvenir tote bag comes with your picking, which is a nice touch to bring home. The peach fields sit up a bit of a hike, but the reward is fruit that runs sweet and juicy, and the white peaches earn special mention.
Across the seasons you can pick strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, several apple varieties, and some vegetables too. The strawberry rhubarb pie is another draw at the market.
It is worth knowing the pick-your-own fields and orchards are open weekends only from May through October, with fall activities like the giant corn maze and hayrides also weekends only. Find it at 1111 Mt Kemble Ave, with the market open daily.
Plan your visit for a Saturday or Sunday.
5. Demarest Farms, Hillsdale, NJ
Founded back in 1886, this Hillsdale farm has been a working operation for well over a century and still runs a grocery store, nursery, and seasonal U-pick fields.
Peach picking tends to be the star of a visit, with plenty of trees loaded with ripe, good-sized fruit. The peaches are juicy and genuinely fun to pick, which makes it an easy trip with kids in tow.
Seasonal pick-your-own options rotate through peaches, apples, and pumpkins, so there is a reason to return as the calendar turns. Cider donuts and apple juice are part of the farm-store lineup too.
You will find it at 244 Werimus Rd, open daily from 8 AM to 5 PM. There is a restroom on-site and free parking, which keeps things convenient when you are hauling bags of fruit.
Bergen County families have kept this one on their summer rotation for good reason.
6. Mood’s Farm Market, Mullica Hill, NJ
Down in South Jersey, this Mullica Hill market may have the longest pick-your-own list of the bunch.
The lineup runs through sweet cherries, pie cherries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, blackberries, plums, grapes, pears, apples, and pumpkins. That kind of range means there is almost always something ready to pick from early summer into fall.
The peaches here get noticed for their size, with some of the biggest yellow peaches you are likely to see. Berries and peaches are especially fun to pick with kids, so it is a solid family stop.
Find it at 901 Bridgeton Pike. The market is open Monday through Saturday from 8 AM to 6 PM and is closed on Sundays, so build your weekend plans around Saturday.
With this much variety in one place, it is easy to fill more than one bag.
7. Terhune Orchards, Princeton, NJ
Just outside Princeton, this working family orchard blends fruit picking with a farm setting that keeps kids busy.
Peaches, apples, blackberries, and blueberries are all part of the picking rotation, and the fresh tree fruit is the main reason to make the trip. If your peaches feel firm, give them a few days to ripen at home and they turn out wonderful.
Beyond the orchard rows, there are farm animals and plenty of activities for children, which makes it more of an afternoon outing than a quick errand. A farm store rounds things out for anyone who wants to browse after picking.
Terhune sits at 330 Cold Soil Rd, with free parking in the lot and on the street. It is open Monday through Thursday from 9 AM to 6 PM, Friday until 7 PM, and weekends from 9 AM to 6 PM.
The extra Friday hours make it an easy end-of-week stop.
Enjoyed this story?
Add Fast Food Club as a preferred source to see more of our reporting on Google.